See It, try it, buy it: BowTech brings archery to the Masses in Ducks Unlimited Great Outdoor Festival

Eugene, OR (August 22, 2003) – Almost 76,000 outdoor sporting fans enjoyed another Ducks Unlimited Great Outdoor Festival (www.outdoorsbest.com/dugof) in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, the weekend of Aug. 15-17, the second of three venues on the tour this year. The festival, held each year in Memphis, Oshkosh, and Richmond/Petersburg, Virginia, has attracted more than 800,000 visitors since 1995.

BowTech made their first splash at the festival’s Archery Village last year when their dealers demonstrated equipment and offered attendees the opportunity to purchase BowTech products. BowTech also sent corporate representatives who volunteered, along with more than 100 others, to provide shooting instruction to the festival attendees. This year, more than 4,600 outdoor enthusiasts experienced the fun of archery at this interactive venue, many shooting for the first time.

“I’d say 80% of our visitors were shooting a bow for the first time,” BowTech’s Marketing Director, Gene Shands, said in describing the diversity of attendees. “And of that group, perhaps 85% were kids. I see this festival as an incredible way for BowTech to bring archery and bowhunting to a broader, younger audience using a grassroots campaign.”

“This is the largest hands-on sporting event of its kind in the country,” said Cindy Caryl, Outdoor Events Director for PRIMEDIA Specialty Group, a co-partner of the festival along with Ducks Unlimited. "The EAA Convention Grounds were overflowing for the fifth consecutive year at the three-day Festival, where enthusiasts were able to see the latest outdoor sporting gear."

Apparently, the boys from BowTech made a good impression. Fellow volunteers Tom and Karen Lohry, had this to say: “My husband and I wish to compliment the BowTech representatives for their excellent assistance and the equipment supplied. They were very professional and contributed a great deal to the program’s success. A sincere thank you from all of the volunteers and especially for allowing 4,600+ participants to experience archery first hand.”

Another festival volunteer, Chrissy Krause, was also impressed: “I only wish I could find employees like these two guys. In the past five years of volunteering, I am not sure I have ever met reps at the festival that worked so hard, and were so knowledgeable, kind, and fun. Their enthusiasm and energy were so refreshing every day.”

With more than a million supporters, Ducks Unlimited is the world's largest wetlands and waterfowl conservation organization. Since its founding in 1937, DU has raised more than $1.7 billion to conserve nearly 11 million acres of critical wildlife habitat across North America. For more information: www.ducks.org.

BowTech, (www.bowtecharchery.com), manufacturer and distributor of the world’s finest compound bows and archery equipment, was founded in 1999 by CEO, John Strasheim, and by VP of Research and Development, Kevin Strother. BowTech continues to be the fastest growing bow company in history. The company holds patents on the world’s fastest single, dual, and three cam bows, along with VibraBlock, and Vertical Force Technology. Each is a BowTech original.